He Turned Cotton Into A Hot Decorating Accessory

2012 - Volume #36, Issue #2, Page #06

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Television personality Martha Stewart inspired Fahey “Butch” Byrum III, to look at his cotton crop in a different way back in 1996.
  “I saw her make a cotton boll wreath and thought ‘I have a whole field of those’,” the fourth-generation Edenton, N.C., cotton farmer recalls. “So I bought a computer and a camera and taught myself how to build a website.”
  Instead of sending all of his 650 acres of cotton to market, he now hand cuts the best cotton bolls to sell individually ($4.75 shipping included) or as plants ($34 for 2 to 6 plants). Plus he sells raw cotton with seed starting at $15.50/lb. Recently, he purchased a business that makes little cotton bales to add to his inventory of website items for sale.
  “A cotton boll is like a dried flower picked right from the plant,” Byrum says. Bolls are 2 to 4 in. in diameter and very soft, though the burr at the bottom is sharp. He sells cotton with and without the burr. Customers purchase bolls for wedding bouquets, centerpieces, casket palls, and store displays including large chains such as Land’s End and Brooks Brothers. He also offers lines of completed wedding floral designs and cotton apparel on his website.
  Some customers prefer other items. Macy’s in New York ordered a 500-lb. bale for a display. Byrum offers the full-size bales on his website as well as more affordable footstool sizes starting at $60, including shipping. They are tightly baled with 7 tons of pressure.
  He offers small bales with steel strapping in 2 1/2, 4 1/2, 6 1/2, 18 and 24-in. sizes starting at $8.50. People use them for all kinds of decorating.
  He has customers for his products from all over the U.S. and around the world. “All my dried cotton products will keep for years,” Byrum says. “The only thing that happens over time would be a slight discoloration (yellowing) of the cotton itself.”
  Another market niche is his educational cotton – handpicked but not as pretty as his bolls. Teachers use it to teach students how cotton grows.
  Byrum tries to harvest and store enough cotton bolls and seed to have product available until the next harvest in late August. Interest has grown tremendously, Byrum says, and he’s very busy keeping up with what was once just a sideline.
  Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, H. Fahey Byrum III (Butch), 409 Evans Bass Rd., Edenton, N.C. 27932 (ph 252 562-4300; www.cottonman.com).

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He Turned Cotton Into A Hot Decorating Accessory CROPS Miscellaneous Television personality Martha Stewart inspired Fahey “Butch” Byrum III to look at his cotton crop in a different way back in 1996 “I saw her make a cotton boll wreath and thought ‘I have a whole field of those’ ” the fourth-generation Edenton N C cotton farmer recalls “So I bought a computer and a camera and taught myself how to build a website ” Instead of sending all of his 650 acres of cotton to market he now hand cuts the best cotton bolls to sell individually $4 75 shipping included or as plants $34 for 2 to 6 plants Plus he sells raw cotton with seed starting at $15 50/lb Recently he purchased a business that makes little cotton bales to add to his inventory of website items for sale “A cotton boll is like a dried flower picked right from the plant ” Byrum says Bolls are 2 to 4 in in diameter and very soft though the burr at the bottom is sharp He sells cotton with and without the burr Customers purchase bolls for wedding bouquets centerpieces casket palls and store displays including large chains such as Land’s End and Brooks Brothers He also offers lines of completed wedding floral designs and cotton apparel on his website Some customers prefer other items Macy’s in New York ordered a 500-lb bale for a display Byrum offers the full-size bales on his website as well as more affordable footstool sizes starting at $60 including shipping They are tightly baled with 7 tons of pressure He offers small bales with steel strapping in 2 1/2 4 1/2 6 1/2 18 and 24-in sizes starting at $8 50 People use them for all kinds of decorating He has customers for his products from all over the U S and around the world “All my dried cotton products will keep for years ” Byrum says “The only thing that happens over time would be a slight discoloration yellowing of the cotton itself ” Another market niche is his educational cotton – handpicked but not as pretty as his bolls Teachers use it to teach students how cotton grows Byrum tries to harvest and store enough cotton bolls and seed to have product available until the next harvest in late August Interest has grown tremendously Byrum says and he’s very busy keeping up with what was once just a sideline Contact: FARM SHOW Followup H Fahey Byrum III Butch 409 Evans Bass Rd Edenton N C 27932 ph 252 562-4300; www cottonman com

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